What better way to learn about wine than to taste it?

Hailed by Jerry Shriver in USA Today as "the woman who makes the wine world gulp when she speaks," Jancis Robinson created in How to Taste a classic for connoisseurs of all levels and the first introduction of its kind to focus on practical tasting exercises. Now fully revised and updated, Robinson's renowned guide proves once again that learning about wine can be just as engaging as drinking it.

Written in Robinson's trademark accessible style, the new How to Taste features thoroughly updated vintages and producers as well as up-and-coming wine regions and styles. Incorporating wines that are both easily obtainable and reasonably priced, Robinson's lessons are separated into complementary portions of theory and practice to help you both learn and taste your way to wine expertise.

One of the world's best-loved authorities on wine, Robinson explains first how to get the most out of the flavor of your wine and food, and then about specific grapes and the wines themselves. By the time you finish the book, you will have learned how to recognize the most popular grape varieties from Chardonnay and Riesling to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and why a good sparkling wine is always better than cheap champagne. You will discover how to judge sweetness, acidity, and fruitiness as well as the difference between the length and the weight of a wine. You will also be given practical advice for dealing with wine in the real world: how to choose from a wine list, organize your own wine tastings, and pair wines with specific foods.

From the armchair to the wine shop and back to the table, How to Taste will transform anyone on any level into a confident connoisseur who can leave faltering sips behind and have fun along the way.

Robinson explains first how we taste wine and food, and then about the grapes and wines themselves. In separate sections on theory and practice, she offers basic technical information about wine appreciation, then shows us how to apply it in sipping exercises — all of which are based on readily available and, in most cases, inexpensive bottles. And how better to learn about wine than by actually drinking it?

By the time you finish this book, you'll know how to recognize the most popular grape varieties from Chardonnay to Riesling, to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and why you should choose a good sparkling wine over a cheap champagne. You will know how to judge sweetness, acidity, and fruitiness as well as the difference between the length and weight of a wine, and you will be able to distinguish wines from around the world. Robinson also arms you with practical advice about dealing with wine in the real world: choosing from a wine list; setting up and recording your own wine tastings; spitting out your sample mouthful correctly; and complementing food flavors with wine.

Innovative, informative, and above all fun, How to Taste is designed to be taken with you everywhere, from the armchair to the vineyard to the wine shop and back to the table.